Chapter 9 - PINE RIDGE HOLDINGS

Pine Ridge Holdings existed only on paper.

Its registered address was a mailbox inside a shipping store.

Its owner was another LLC.

That company belonged to Mark Dalton.

Detective Ortiz obtained emergency financial records.

Attorney Peter Vale prepared the trust.

Dr. Mercer supplied medical statements claiming both parents were cognitively impaired.

A notary named Denise Holloway certified signatures Don swore he never made.

Then Pine Ridge Holdings planned to buy the house and store at below-market prices.

Afterward, the properties would be resold.

Profit estimate: more than $600,000.

Shawn stared at the numbers.

His sister had turned their parents into a business model.

By Christmas morning, Brenda was charged with unlawful imprisonment, elder abuse, financial exploitation, identity theft, and conspiracy.

But Mark was still missing.

So were Peter Vale and Denise Holloway.

Shawn brought his parents to a hotel suite near the hospital rather than return them home.

On Christmas morning, Maria sat beside a tiny artificial tree the hotel manager had found in storage.

“I’m sorry,” Shawn said.

“For what?”

“For this Christmas.”

Maria touched his face.

“You came home. I’m not complaining.”

Don stood at the window in borrowed pajamas.

“I am. Hotel coffee is criminal.”

For the first time since Shawn arrived, all three laughed.

Then someone knocked.

Shawn checked the peephole.

A courier stood outside holding a small box.

No return address.

Inside was Don’s missing phone.

The screen was cracked.

A note rested beneath it.

YOUR FATHER RECORDED MORE THAN HE TOLD YOU.

Shawn powered on the phone.

There were no recent calls.

But one folder had been hidden inside the voice recorder app.

Its name was simple.

BRENDA.

The newest recording was dated two nights before Shawn came home.

He pressed play.

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Mark’s voice filled the room.

“Once Shawn signs the holiday transfer, we won’t need the old people anymore.”